7 A New Career

Sitting on his bed, Doc was recovering from his frustration. He was looking forward to using his first playable character. Now, he discovered it might be some time until he could do so.

It would seem the only thing he could do was look for a way to survive in this world until he could earn enough trope points.

At dinner, he went downstairs to eat. He noticed that most of the people frowned when they saw him. Even the little waitress from the previous day gave him a disgusted look.

Unable to understand what happened, Doc walked over to the bar and asked the bartender what was going on.

"Word of how you got up without a peep when that Odim boy threw you some money has gotten around. Everyone thinks you're a coward," The bartender laughed.

"You think I'm a coward?" Doc asked.

"I don't think you're a coward, I think you did the right thing. Most these people here been runnin' scared of that Odim kid. It's just you got up so quick, it makes 'em feel good to call you a coward," The old man spat looking at some of the customers.

"I see, this situation is ridiculous," Doc was annoyed. He looked at all of the people staring at him. He looked at them and shook his head. After placing an order, he took it to his room to eat.

After eating, he took a tour of the town looking for a way to earn money and a place to live. The hotel was too expensive and he would be out of money very soon if he stayed there much longer.

During his walk, he found the government office for the town. It served as a municipal building. A notice on one of the doors caught his eye.

It was a notice that the government was looking for young men to train to be Shirshu.

When he asked inside about the notice, he was told that Shirshu were like police officers and investigators. If chosen, they would be taken to a nearby fort for testing and training.

Based on their results they could be arranged as anything from a local patrolman or even an official investigator.

Even though he would have to leave this town, he didn't mind. This town was corrupt, he had no power or a means to support himself.

If he could become an Shirshu it would give him some protection and time to understand this world better.

Three days later, the Shirshu recruiter came. Doc and about twenty others waited next to the municipal building. The recruiter made sure that everyone was literate. Only fourteen of the twenty applicants were accepted.

The march to the fort only lasted three days. This fort, Merit, controlled the surrounding region. It included in its jurisdiction and protection two large cities, seventeen towns, and more than one hundred villages.

The fort protected the cities, towns, and villages from bandits, beasts, and enemy armies. It also served as the testing and training grounds for the Shirshu. The Shirshu commander and offices were located here.

The group of fourteen young men was led to a small building. They were instructed to wait outside until someone came to receive them.

Garrick looked around the fort and based on his past experience in the US military; he quickly understood the layout of Fort Merit.

About an hour after they arrived a smallish man with graying hair and mustache stepped out of the small building. He wore an almost black dark purple uniform. The uniform had a cloth belt with a wood tag attached to it. It read:

Master Opan Clade

Inspector 1st Rank

Fort Merit

"I have already received your information. The fourteen of you will be taken to the barracks, where you can deposit your things. Afterward, your guide will take you to logistics to receive one training uniform and a pair of nighttime clothes.

You are expected to clean your clothes every day. A Shirshu is the face of the Law in this region. If you look sloppy, people will think the Shirshu are sloppy. I expect you to look sharp!

Training begins tomorrow morning. That is all."

Master Clade left and re-entered the small building. A young man who followed Master Clade out from the small building remained.

"I am your guide, Dillard Redkirk. Follow me, and I'll help you get your bearings."

Dillard took the fourteen trainees around the fort pointing out the cafeteria, explaining the rules, and so forth.

"You will line up at five am, You will have two minutes to get dressed and line up outside the barracks for roll call.

Even if your job is policing or serving as an inspector depending on your rankings. You will be trained just like the army recruits.

You will discover that at times you will need to know how to protect yourself from others. We will also teach you how to apprehend criminals and fight demon beasts, demon soldiers, and others.

During a beast tide or other times of emergency, you will serve soldiers to protect the fort and territories. After the training, you will become competent as fighters and investigators," Dillard smiled at the men.

He could tell that some of the recruits wrongly believed that by becoming a Shirshu they could evade fighting in the army. What these fellows didn't realize was that they were tricked into joining the army. The Shirshu was a branch of the army, but this was hidden.

Over the years, the Shirshu managed to attract many talents who would otherwise disregard military service.

"You might think it's a bad thing for you to be Shirshu now that you know that you are part of the army. I promise that you are wrong. Becoming a Shirshu means that you are the elite within the army.

At times, your authority may be greater than a general!"

The recruits' eyes sparkled.

"The Shirshu are military police," Doc Garrick commented.

"That's a good term, but we are more than that. Our authority reaches beyond the military. Anywhere we go, whether a small town, a huge city, or even the capitol; even the powerful must bow their heads before us.

I will caution you, This doesn't mean you can abuse your power. We have strict rules regarding the behavior of our Shirshu. If it is discovered that you are abusing your power, not only will you lose your status as a member of the Shirshu; you might even be put to death!

If you act corruptly and accept bribes, then you and the person bribing you will be executed immediately!"

Many of the men were shocked. Who didn't take bribes, wasn't that natural?

Garrick smiled on the side, he preferred a straightforward organization like this.

After touring the fort, the recruits were allowed to get some grub and get some sleep. Their intense training would begin the next day.